October 28, 2010
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22
In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles… Luke 6:12-13
Piety
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
(Traditional Hymn)
Study
What do you do when you have a big decision to make? Are you a legal pad kind of decider? Take the yellow-ruled paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side list the “pro” factors. On the other side list the “con” factors. Through some process weighing each side, figure out which course is best and go with that one.
What happens when you have to pick between two options which are both overwhelmingly positive? Or what if neither choice seems any good? That yellow pad does not hold all the answers or even the pathway to the right answer.
Jesus had a fairly big momentous decision to make. He pulled himself back from the activity of daily life and sought solitude with the Father. And his recent activities were certainly starting to stir up the local authorities. The scribes and the Pharisees were starting to plot to get Jesus because he was healing on the Sabbath and violating other Jewish customs. Jesus got fully involved in what we might today call a “retreat.”
He departed.
He spent the night in prayer to God.
He came down from the mountain.
He called his disciples.
He chose the Twelve.
I bet there was no legal pad on that mountain. Even without one, Jesus built a foundation with those Twelve choices. He was the capstone, the keystone, the cornerstone. But Jesus was not the whole building. If he was going to build the Kingdom of God on earth, then he needed help. He needed a foundation. He did not take out a help wanted ad. He did not hire a head-hunter. He did not wade through resumes.
He departed.
He spent the night in prayer to God.
He came down from the mountain.
He called his disciples.
He chose the Twelve.
If we imitate Jesus, if we make decisions this same way, then our building will be held together with that same capstone. We will be bound together with others who turn to the Lord in prayer so that we will be built together into the dwelling place for God.
Action
What big decision do you have to make?
Considering changing jobs? Refinancing your mortgage? Buying a new house or apartment and moving? Hiring new staff? Making gifts to charity? Making other major purchases?
Jesus shows us the way to make big decisions. How can you adapt his approach to the decision you face?
He departed.
He spent the night in prayer to God.
He came down from the mountain.
He called his disciples.
He chose the Twelve.
Now that the foundation is built, additional laborers are needed. Are you ready? Are you ready for Jesus to choose you? Are you ready if he does not?
